Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-04-28
FARM. NOTES.

| Well conducted experiments in beet
feeding, says Prof. Fear, of the Pennsyl
vania country. Farmers could realize
from them what they have lost by so long
neglecting crop entering in the rota-
ton of all wellmanaged farms.
| If potatoes be kept in cellars which
have damp bottoms they should be stow
| ed in shallow bins raised slightly above
the cellars bottoms. They keep best in
cool, well-drained underground cellars.
Rules for easy subjugation of Canada
thistles are plentiful, but not practical
Every attempt to eradicate this weed must
! be continued through the entire season
of growth, or it will fail almost surely
and all its cost will be wasted.
No thrifty farmer will permit coarse
| weeds, thistle, briars or bushes of any
kind to grow by the roadside adjoining
his fields. One or two days work each
year for two or three years with stout
bush seythe will cause these Improbable
varieties of vegetation to give place to
valuable grasses.
Sudden changes of the weather cause
disease among fowls much sooner than
long continued cold or warm weather.
Roup, very contagious disease, is usual
ly due to dampness.
Farms in some sections of Penneylvan-
ia maintain the fertility of their soils by
applying 100 bushels of Stacked lime to
the acre once in five years. 1t is said
that fields which have been subjected to
this treatment for the past 100 years are
as productive now as when the expert
ment was first tried. This application
depends for its value much upon the or
1ginal character of the soil.
The following preparation applied to
the surface will prevent any rusting on
plowsior any other metal surfaces. Melt
one ounce of rosin in gill of linseed oil,
and when hot mix with two quarts of
kerosene oil. This can be kept on hand
and applied in moment with brush or
rag to the metal surface of any tool that
is not going to be used for a few days,
preventing any rust and saving much
vexatlOn when the time comes to use it
again.
Hay-caps are made of ffty-four inch
heavy sheeting eut into squares and
bound with astrong cord, making loop
three or four inches long at each corner
The cloth may be water-lroofed very
cheaply by sleeping it in a solution of
dluH dHu bnoreaIb0r Qry1ug IL nrSt In 3
solution of sugar of lead, or the cloth may
be dipped in boiled linseed oil and then
hung out to dry. The caps are used to
cover haycocks, and are fastened down
by pins put through the loops and push
ed into the hay.
A very usual cause of barrenness in
COWS and other domestic animals, is ex-
cessive fat. Cows of improved beef
breeds are more liable to this than those
having less na5ural tendency to lay on
fat. Heifers will keep during the winter,
and turned on fine pastures in the spring,
become fat before autumn. A thrifty
heifer can be wintered in good condition
on good tame hay, with little bran or
other non-fattening food. If the animal
is given warm shelter, very little grain
is advisable, and the supply of hay
should be regulated by actual wants.
Freedom and exercise are to be given at
times when the weather is not too severe
AS soon as the grass is well started in the
spring, heifers and COWS in calf, should
be turned cut where they will be com
PEELED to travel great deal for food. In
well-fed herds the barren COWS are usual
ly those which are inclined to fatten,
rather than those which change their
food into large quantities of milk.